“I know people who have the TV on for a bit of company – if you don’t see anyone from one week to the next it is a big comfort,” says Pat Smith of Grey Power.

Pat is one of many people concerned that the BBC could scrap free television licences for the over-75s.

Currently, everyone aged 75 or over can apply for a free licence. But from 2020, the Government has told the BBC that it must shoulder the cost of paying for this concession.

Now the director general of the BBC has said the corporation will struggle to meet the £725 million ‘burden’ of maintaining the subsidy.

Tony Hall – Lord Hall of Birkenhead – told MPs that he can’t guarantee that the free scheme will continue after 2020.

Pat, vice chairwoman of North Staffordshire Pensioners’ Convention, said: “For a lot of elderly people who live by themselves, the television is a great source of company.

“As people get older their eyesight might be going so they can’t read anymore, or they might not be able to get out as much or do any of the hobbies they used to, so the TV is a great benefit.”

Free TV licences could be scrapped for the over 75s (Image: PA)

Instead of ‘free for all’, it could be that only people over the age of 75 with limited finances are given TV licences in future, but Pat added: “They always say there will be concessions. But it is an erosion of people’s lives. People don’t like admitting they are hard-up. We know there are people who don’t claim benefits because they don’t want to be means tested.

“The universality of the TV licence is something everyone looks forward to as they get older.”

Pensioner Peter Cotton, aged 81, of Knutton, said: “It seems one minute Parliament is saying ‘give the elderly this and that’, and the next minute they are taking it away. You can’t snatch money off people, or you shouldn’t do.

Read More

“There will be a lot of elderly people who are worried about this. A lot of pensioners worry about where they are going to find the money for things when new expenses come in.”

Second World War veteran Roy Vickerman, aged 93, of Hartshill, said: “A lot of elderly people I know tell me they put the TV on in the morning and have it on all day, so I think it will upset a lot of people.”

Asked by MPs if he could guarantee that free licences would remain available, Lord Hall said: “I can’t give you a guarantee it will continue.

Lord Tony Hall, director general of the BBC (Image: BBC)

“The concession, as formulated, comes to an end in June 2020. We have got to decide what will replace it.”

Speaking before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, convened at the BBC’s northern headquarters in Salford, Lord Hall said one option would be to continue funding free licences for all, but the BBC will also consider other options.

That could include means-testing to restrict the scheme to those with limited finances, or removing free licences from those with a spouse, partner or dependent living in the household who is under 75.

Read More

Lord Hall said: “We have got to be mindful of two things: we know the over-65s and over-75s consume many, many more BBC services than others. That’s good – we are many people’s companion. On the other hand, there is real hardship among some or many of those over 75.

“This is such a difficult balance. What can people afford?

“It could continue exactly as it is. We could change it. I don’t know what the board [of governors] will decide.

“This is a very difficult issue. And I suspect that’s one reason why we have to think about it, and why the government said, ‘It’s over to you’.”

BBC Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London. The BBC has agreed to fully fund free TV licences for over-75s from 2020/21, the Culture Secretary has said. (Image: PA)

According to TV Licensing, there were 4,455,000 over-75s licences in force last year. A TV licence costs £150.50 for a colour, or £50.50 for a black and white TV.

The £725 million cost represents around one-fifth of the BBC’s total budget.